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Monday, July 25, 2011

From Mossy to Beachy

Well, it’s the end of July and I’ve just finished up my summer vignette in the foyer – welcome to my world. ;)

I’ve had most of it done for umm…weeks. Since May? There was one small detail I’ve been putting off all that time that I FINALLY just finished up. More on that in a smidge.

I don’t think I’ve ever really decorated with anything beach-inspired in our house…like, ever. Until now! It must have been the summer Pottery Barn catalog this year, because all of the sudden I thought that look was just lovely.

And no, we don’t live anywhere near the coast. I don’t care. I do what I want.

It started with a beautiful blue spray paint I picked up at True Value a couple months ago:

I’ve been adding more and more blue to our home over the past few years, and this is a lovely smoky tone. I sprayed my old Southern Living pedestal with it:

It was brown, which was beautiful. I just wanted it to pop and now it does. I can always spray paint it back. ;)

I filled it with decorative stuff – some shells, twine-covered balls and even some rocks from our vacation.

We picked a few pretty rocks at the beach and of course they needed to be included:

(The writing is for next year when I’m purging and I see the rocks and go, “What the heck? Rocks? Why do I have rocks?” And toss them.)

I’ve wanted something LARGE on the buffet in our foyer for a while now, and while at HomeGoods last month, I saw a gigantor wood lantern and it had me at pretty window paned doors:

It is SO close to the Pottery Barn version, by the way:

Mine was $20 – there’s is $80. Boo to the YAH.

Yet again, I’m fairly sure Pottery Barn will never become a sponsor at TDC. ;)

I put a trio of white candles inside, and then wrapped some rope I picked up at True Value around them:

LOVE!

The rest of the goodies I already had:

The lamp used to sit on the sofa table in our kitchen, but I thought it worked so much better in the foyer.

Lately I’m smitten with the fresh look of silver or brushed nickel, so I grabbed some Rub ‘n Buff in a silver color and changed up the raised part of the mirror:

I’d love something chunkier up there, but I’m trying to use what I’ve got! The Rub ‘n Buff is so easy to use it’s just silly – and one tube will last you foreveeeeeer. Seriously. A tiny bit goes a very long way.

When all was done, we had a slightly sea-inspired vignette in our foyer:

And I must say I’m lovin’ it! That lantern rocks my socks off – big fat heart that thing.

Sp you want to know what’s held me up all this time? The one thing I needed to finish up?

I started painting the inside of our front door black the weekend of the back door disaster.

Yes, when we had a hole in our house, I did what any smart person would do. I started painting another door. :) I think I was trying to redeem myself…either that or I have some serious addiction to painting doors black. I don’t know, I just went for it.

I did a coat of grey primer and a coat of black and then it sat…and sat. For all this time. Till this weekend:

I love it, I knew I would. I used my Behr Black Suede paint in an eggshell finish and I’m pretty much obsessed with how it turned out.

Here’s a comparison, with a way before photo:

I know some like a shiny, high gloss door, but I only like shiny on my molding. ;) So the eggshell finish I already had worked out great. It’s taken three coats so far -- I actually need to do one more, but for now I’m calling it done.

I’m just happy to have the painters tape off the door for the first time since the first week of June. :)

No, I’m not painting the trim, at least for now. I’m lucky this got done in 2011 people.

So, are you a decorating with seashells kind of person? Don’t worry, the beach police won’t come find you if you’re name isn’t Sally and you don’t live near the seashore. ;) You can incorporate it all you want – it is your house.

I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as my writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.

Great look. Always good deals on lanterns at Home Goods. I do have shells here and there. Nothing says summer like shells and I am no where near the coast either. Love the door painted black. I painted all mine on the bottom floor a very dark brown that looks black in photos. Everyone asks me if they are black.

thats quite a transformation. LOVE IT.. You did a subtle but definately beachy arrangment that looks great and very inviting. My bedroom is on hold as I am looking for the perfect lamps. Would you mind sharing where you found your glass lamp. thanks so much.

Oh, if the beach police ever came to my house, they would put me away forevah, I have seashells, beach pebbles and starfishes in bowls and jars, etc, I'm also planning to do a wall of photos of the beaches we visited, and the list goes on. And guess what? We live smack dab in the middle of the continent! (Well, a bit more east, but you know, thousands of miles away from the sea... Although we are 15 minutes away from Lake Ontario. Does that count?)

Your entire vignette is beautiful. I had been wanting to do the exact thing to a similar mirror with gold edging around it. I didn't know they made stuff like the Rub n Buff. So glad you shared...now I know how I can give my mirror a mini makeover. Have a great day!

I have become more of a beachy decorating kind of gal lately, mainly because I love the colors and the relaxed vibe you get with it. I have recently painted our family room a cool aqua-ish color, so the coastal vibe just seems to flow. Plus, I have a bunch of shells from our family vacations, and why not display them, right?

pretty! for the first time in my married life we don't live near the beach (my husband is in the navy) but i stuck to my guns and did "beachy" in my family room anyway. :o) i love that blue spray paint...i'm now on the hunt for it!

I got married on the beach and have traveled to the beach for vacation since I was a child. Needless to say, my house in decked out in leftover wedding centerpieces and shells galore! Love the beachy presence in our home!

Hi Sarah, It looks lovely! I love what you did with the rope and candles in the lantern. Good thinkin'. ; ) I have a sunroom I decorate beachy and there's some shells in our bathroom. You definitely don't have to live near the beach to decorate beachy! Have a great week. : ) ~ Catie

I adore black doors. We did this in our last house, and I was in lusty love! Alas, our new house has a lovely wooden door. Hubs would punish me if I touched it (he's a lovely man, really, but awfully protective of his new door). I prefer the trim white, so I say, you're done =) ps Home Goods (or Home Sense if you're a Canucklehead like me)is pretty much my most favoritist specialist most wonderfulist store. Ever. In the world. Times a ka-gillion. Great lantern!

Well is it a total crime that I DO live by the beach and REFUSE to decorate my house all beachy! (only because it's what people around here are expected to do and I'm a little stubborn!! Haha!) That being said, I think it's a lovely idea to bring a little beach into a place far away from sand & water :)

Love the change. My decorating friend told me to always at least light the candles and blow them out so that the wicks will be used. That makes it look as if you really use the candles. It's now the first thing I do when I buy new candles.

Your foyer looks beautiful! I especially love the lantern - what a steal. I'm with you on the beach thing...who cares if it's not right outside your front door. You can decorate with whatever you love. And I LOVE the beach. LOVE it. We are in the process of turning our office into a beach inspired space. I found a couple of cool ways to display some of our shells...including spray painting some shiny chrome like Pottery Barn's. Check them out if you have a sec!http://www.freestylinbeth.com/2011/07/718.html

Love the redo! And the lantern is to.die.for! Love HomeGoods.....I am going to try the door painting thang some day very soon.......(don't hold your breath....I have a list.) Did you roll or spray? I'm assuming roll since you metioned Behr Black Suede.....in fact, I have a can of that hanging out in my studio LOL....aka garage.(((hugs)))

I love your little bit of beach. We are Midwesterners also and went to FL this winter for some relief. When we returned home, I went straight to HomeGoods, found some bedding and accessories for my guest bdrm. Yep, had to add a little bit of beach to the house. LOVE it. Very calming & I swear I can hear the ocean in there.

Where can I get the Rub-N-Buff? I have a print in my half bath that is framed in a gold frame (very similar to your mirror) and the rest of my bathroom is brushed nickel. The frame for my print is totally off but the print itself totally goes with the decor in the room. Rather than reframe the print or buy something else, I'd love to be able to fix the frame!

As usual, your writing style is just great and makes me smile. I do love the beach influence and will save that Pottery Barm catalog the rest of my life (maybe) because I love it too. I'd love to see that little painting on your wall above the white plate. I love it from here. Thanks for your blog, I love it. Highpointcircle.blogspot.com

I am a coral fan, for sure (have some prints of coral hanging in the living room), but actual shells scream "80's BATHROOM" to me... can't help it, sorry. :) I have a question: I love your black doors. I mean, I love them as much as you love your faux PB lantern! But the moulding in my home is not white, it's brown. Would a black door work in my interior? I have other black accessories and furniture, just not sure about the door. PLEASE SAY YES! :)

Awesome beachy inspiration!! My mom recently bought a beach house in North Carolina and we need some decor inspiration. I will be heading down there in a couple of weeks with your ideas in my design book! Thanks!

I love the change... it doesn't matter that you don't live by the ocean... I live in nor cal and I would never have pine cones {except for xmas} for decor in my house! Love the blue color! Will have to pick up a can!

I love it! The lantern is my fave! I grew up on the shore and now live 20 minutes inland from it which seems forever away...can't hear the waves or smell the ocean! I love beachy and everyone's "beachy" is different - I think yours is perfect - subtle & elegant!

Wow!! Your entrance reminds me of ours!! I had painted the inside of our front door black last year (LOVE it!!) and have a buffet set with seasonal vigntettes... although yesterday I tore apart Summer to simplify it and start to neutralize. Your Summer Vignette looks Great!! LOVE that lantern too =) enJOY!!

Hi, It's Sherrie, just too lazy to log into google on a workbreak...how did I miss this post? You are brilliant...we have lovely white doors in our foyer that are UN-lovelied by 8yr old sidewalk chalk hands,and 11 & 14yr old "just got home from practice" hands...this totally may be the A-HA moment...which is totally why I heart TDC!

Hi Sarah,I realize this post is over a month old, but your comment about not getting your summer "beachy" things out till the end of July cracked me up. I didn't get 'my' beachy things finished until a few weeks ago! Glad to know I'm in good company. I started mine early in July, just didn't finish till August.Oh well-Life Happens!

i'm enjoying your blog, I think I've already seen some of your Pins on Pinterest.Thanks for the chuckle,